What stands out worked out from the figures below

Melrose has the most expensive homes ($823k median).

Westborough has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Melrose	Westborough
People
Population	29,650Highest	21,944Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Lowest MA: +7.4%	+18%Highest MA: +7.4%
Median age	43.6±1.1Highest 9% above MA	38.8±1.6Lowest 3% below MA
Kids under 18	20.2%±2.1Lowest MA: 19.4%	25.6%±2.5Highest MA: 19.4%
Age 65+	20.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9%	15.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62%Lowest MA: 47.3%	65.2%Highest MA: 47.3%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±1Highest MA: 7.9%	4%±0.9Lowest MA: 7.9%
	Melrose and Westborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$133,953±$14kLowest 29% above MA	$141,944±$12kHighest 37% above MA
	Westborough and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$822,900±$20kHighest 46% above MA	$685,300±$31kLowest 22% above MA
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,970±$149Lowest 12% above MA	$2,106±$151Highest 20% above MA
	Westborough and Melrose are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,578Lowest 26% above MA	$9,983Highest 67% above MA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±8.1Highest MA: 51.8%	40.9%±8.9Lowest MA: 51.8%
	Melrose and Westborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.8%Lowest MA: 10%	6.3%Highest MA: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	67.2%Highest MA: 62.5%	61.8%Lowest MA: 62.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 26 yrs older than MA	1976Highest 12 yrs newer than MA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 19% above MA	29 minLowest about the MA average
Work from home	29.6%±2.7Highest MA: 18.6%	26.5%±3.7Lowest MA: 18.6%
	Melrose and Westborough are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#62 of 282 in MA	#21 of 282 in MA
School district	Melrose	Westborough
High school in town	Melrose High	Westborough High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	12.8
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.